A Love of Horses Inspired This Couple's Wedding at Vista Valley Country Club in California
Natasha (Tasha) Lampitt (28 and a veterinarian assistant) is passionate about gathering vintage treasures while Zachary (Zach) Dekker (27 and a park ranger) enjoys hunting in his spare time. Together they created a hunter-gatherer- themed wedding to honor not only their marriage, but the melding of their interests as well. Whimsical details in a myriad of textures, from wood chargers and leather placemats to cut-crystal glasses and copper cups, celebrated Tasha’s passion for all things bohemian. Horse motifs were also a thoughtful homage to her career. Meanwhile, the Zach-centric details were more avian in nature. Aptly named cocktails Fowl Language and Lucky Duck were on offer at the bar before guests ended the night with goose-shaped cookies as a nod to his feathered hobby.
The venue’s ceremony spot was a selling point. The duo loved that you enter through “beautiful European gates down a cobblestone path to a wood altar.” The couple exchanged vows they penned themselves in private before exchanging traditional ones at the ceremony. “I wanted a chuppah as a nod to my Jewish heritage,” says Tasha of the chandelier-clad stone structure under which the couple exchanges vows.
Hunting, one of Zach’s main hobbies, informed his choice of wedding party gift, among other details of the day. To reinforce the motif, Zach wore a mallard brooch on his lapel while his guys donned cowboy-boot pins. "As an homage to his pastime, Zach gifted bird calls to his groomsmen. The calligraphed whistles served as place cards at the head table for a special surprise once the groomsmen sat down."
When it came to fashion, the lace wedding dress Tasha ended up donning “was one I never envisioned wearing, but am so glad I did.” A dramatic braided updo, embellished with floral sprigs, added a rustic-meets-bohemian note to Tasha’s bridal look. As for Zach’s wedding day attire, he wore “a really awesome bolo tie” paired with a Stetson hat and “killer cowboy boots.”
During cocktail hour, an equine- inspired display helped guide guests to their seats. The model horses, calligraphed with attendee names and table assignments, also doubled as favors. The wedding’s floral arrangements had a just-picked-from-the-field vibe thanks to the inclusion of “garden roses, ranunculus, anemones, sweet peas, butterfly ranunculus, fritillaria, amaryllis and daffodils.” The couple juxtaposed the lightness of these blooms with concrete vessels and stoneware that grounded the day’s floral designs. “Each setting consisted of a wood charger, simple gray plate with floral gold flatware and crystal glassware topped with a Western-inspired buffalo plaid napkin." For dessert, the couple's “three-tier cake was the perfect mix of modern and whimsy,” Tasha says. The cake’s distinctive cowhide pattern also appeared on sugar cookies in the dessert display.